Tube-forming machine



R. F. FREEMAN.

T, UBE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1917.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

6 SHEETSSHEET I.

R. F. FREEMAN.

TUBE FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IuNE 27, 1917.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

6SHEETSSHEET 2.

R. F. FREEMAN. TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1917.

Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

R. F. FREEMAN. TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1917.

Patented Mar. 30,1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4'.

R.F.FREE MAN. TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .IIJNE 27,19IY- 1 335,,432, I Patented Mar. 30, 1920.;

QSHEETS-SHEET a;

R. F. FREEMAN.

'- TUBE FORMING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 30,1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1917- ENELTEESTAESE r ana ermine. T

ROBERT F. FREEMAN, or EAST CI-IIGAGO, INDIANA, AssIeNoR TO AMERICAN CONDUI'I COMPANY, or EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or oALIronNIA.

TUBE-FORMING MACHINE.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 3Q), 1920.

Application filed June 27, 1917:" Serial No. 177,204.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT F. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East .Chicago, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Forming lvl aohines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tube making machinery and is particularly concerned with machines for ture of fiber conduits.

The main and primary object of the present invention is the provision ofa machine designed to obtain aproduct of greater density than has been heretofore procurable, to which end the invention contemplates novel means for building up a seamless tubewhich shall be free from laminae and the fibers of which shall be so interrelated as to insure the maximum degree of adhesion and homogeneity. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficient means for maintaining the pulp at the requisite consistency and thereby attain proper lay of the fibers in the finished tube, and also to regulate and control the deposit'of the pulp in the formative stage of the tube so that uniformity in thickness and strength of the walls of the tube will be insured.

The invention also aims to provide a tube formin machine which includes simple and effective means for expeditiously removing the formed tubes as they are completed and without liability to injury thereto while they are still in the moist state.

7 As a further object, the invention also contemplates a machine wherein the parts are so related and organized as to render them easily I accessible, thereby permitting the parts to be speedily removed and replaced should they become impaired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and definitely pointed out in the appended claims.

the manufac- In the drawings Figure'l is an end elevation partly in section of a tube forming machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig.- 2 is a top plan view thereof; I

F ig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line li, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the feed roll;

F ig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken through one of thespring fingers ofthe feed roll and its mounting in the latter;

Fig. 9 is a similar view taken at right angles to the disclosure of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the mandrel carrier viewed on the line of section Indicated at 1010, Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on the line 11-11, Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is also a fragmentary elevation of a portion of one end of the mandrel carrier;

Fig. 13 is an inverted sectional plan view on' the line 1313, Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view in its finished state of a tube or conduit formed by the hereindescribed machine.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section through the adjusting mechanism for one end of the contact bar and its support;

Referring now in detail to the accompanving drawings:

Tie numeral 10 designates the frame of the machine. This may be of any desired construction but is preferably of such char- At the end of the frame 10', opposite to the standards 11, is an elevated feed vat 13. This vat is provided with an inclined bottom 14 and the forward wall of the vat 13,

erated fiber and a moisture content sufliciently high to permit free movement of the pulp. This is in accordance with the usual conditions prevailing in the manufacture of fiber tubes. In its different positions of adjustment the gate 16 obviously will control the spout 15 to the desired extent for regulating the fiow of the pulp from the vat 13. The spout 15 discharges into an agitating chamber 19. This chamber 19 is of sufficient dimensions to hold such a quantity of the pulp mass that the same will always be maintained in proper working consistency, it is provided with an inclined rear "wall 20 so that one end of the chamber isof less width than the other end, the purpose of which will be presently explained; The chamber 19 is also provided at its central portion with a partition 21 which is of inverted V-shape in cross section, the ends of said partition terminating short of the ends of the chamber 19, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, and thereby forming a continuous channel around the ends and sides of the chamber. Surrounding the partition 21 is a sprocket chain 22 traveling over sprocket wheels '23 mounted on vertically disposed shafts 24 and 25, the latter being the driven shaft through the medium of which power is applied to said chain 22. These shafts 24 and 25 have their lower ends arranged in bearings 26 seated in the bottom of the chamber 19, and their upper ends are journaled in bearings 27 carried by transverse supports 28 connected to parallel bars 29 which extend longitudinally of the chamber 19 at a point elevated thereabove,the bars 29 being sustained by supporting blocks 30 carried by the ends of the chamber 19. The upper end of the shaft 25 has a beveled gear 31 mounted thereon which meshes with a corresponding gear 32 carried by a, stub shaft 33, journaled in suitable bearings 34 supported by the parallel bars 29. The shaft 33 has a pulley 35 by means of which the same is rotated. 7

Connected to the sprocket chain 22 is a series of outwardly extending blades 36 which are parallel with the bottom-of the chamber 19, and each of said blades is perforated, as at 37, to permit the passage of the pulp through said perforations as said blades travel around the partition 21. By reference to Fig. 6 it will be noted that the perforations 37 of the various blades are arranged in difierent planes so as to be out of alinement, and this provides for the more effectual agitation and travel of the pulp, as well as precluding undue surging of the pulp as the blades travel therethrough.

Each blade is also supported by a lug 38,

said lugs traveling along the bottom of the chamber 19, andthus holding the outer ends of the blades 36 at a proper elevation above said bottom. As a further meansfor reducing surging of the pulp, at the front side of the box, at which point the pulp is removed by the mechanism hereinafter described, and therebytoinsure a uniform delivery of the pulp to the forming roll also to be hereinafter described, recourse is had to the inclined rear wall 20 of the chamber 19. By the inclination or angular disposition of said wall 20 in relation to the front wall of the chamber 19 one end of the latter is wider than the opposite end thereof so that a greater body of the pulp mass will be present at the larger'end than at the smaller end. Therefore, as the blades 36 travel around the wheel 23 and toward the front wall of .the chamber 19 through this arranged at such points, thereby reducing possibility of eddying of the mass in its agitation to a minimum.

It will be noted that the forward side wall of the chamber 19 is of less height than the rear wall thereof, and arranged in superimposed relation to said forward. wall is a transversely extending contact bar 40 carried by a support 11. The normal level of the pulp mass in the chamber 19 will be substantially near the upper edge of the contact bar 10, and to provide a proper joint between said bar and the upper edge of the forward wall of the chamber 19 is a depending apron 42, preferably of rubber, which extends downwardly into the chamber 19 and thereby serves to preclude passage of the pulp between the lower edge of the contact bar 10 and the upper edge of the forward chamber wall. Vertical movement of the bar Ois therefore possible without lia bility of passage of the pulp betweenthe same and the forward wall of the chamber 19.- The contact bar 40 and its support 41 are mounted at their ends on arms 13, one of which is arranged at each side of the ma-' chine frame, and thus disposed at each end of the chamber 19, and each of said arms is journaled' for pivotal movement upon one end of a feed roll 14 journaled in suitable bearings 45, and arranged at a point'above bracket said screw threaded end is adjustably held by clamping nuts 47 and 48.

'Each of the arms 43 is provided with a bearing head 49 which extends. inwardly toward the median line of the machine frame, and said bearing head 49 is provided at its upper and lower'ends with adjusting screws 50 and 51, respectively, having suitable lock nuts associated therewith to hold them in their positions of adjustment. The contact bar 40 and its. support 41 are con nected to the bearing heads 49 by bolts 52, which bolts pass through said contact bar, the support 41, and the bearing heads 4 the latter being provided with slots 49 for receiving said bolts, the nuts of said bolts serving to hold the bar 40 and the support 41 in different positions of vertical adjust ment with respect to said heads 49 as permitted by said slots 49. By loosening the nuts of the bolts 52 the contact bar and its support may be adjusted in a vertical direction relatively to said head 49, and by this adjustment the contact bar 40 may be moved upwardly or downwardly with respect to the feed roll 44. This provides for a varying feed of the pulp by saidfeed roll as will be explained at a later point herein. When the adjustment of the contact bar 40 in the manner noted has been made, the clamping bolts 52 are tightened to preservesuch adjustment.

Associated with the'feed roll 44 is a plurality of spring fingers 53 capable of flexing when brought into contact with the upper edge of the bar 40 in the rotation of said feed roll. These fingers are preferably fOll'i'led of fiat strips of steel bent at a point between their ends to form a coil 54, and thus impart to the free end of the fingers greater flexibility. Each finger is mounted in a plug 55 driven into a suitable opening formed in the roll 44, said plugs 55 and their respective openings being properly I machined so that the plugs will be held by friction when driven into position. The outer ends of the plugs are. splitto receive the basal ends of the fingers 53, a stay 56 being inserted with the basal end of the finger into the split end of the plug, thus anchoring the finger, as well as reinforcing thesame to such an extent as to avoid fracture of the finger when the latter is flexed by reason of its contact 'with the bar 40. A bushing 57 surrounds each. of the plugs 55, the bore of the bushing and the outer end of the plug being slightly tapered so that as thebushing is driven on to the plug the split end of the latter will be compressed and thereby hold the base of the finger 53 and its stay--56 tightly in place. This also provides for expeditious removal of the fingers 53 in the event of their breakage or neces sity of replacement by other fingers. As indicated in Fig. 9, the formation of the coil 54 places the ends. of the fingers in offset relation to each other, and the fingers are so disposed in the roll 44 that their fiat surfaces willcontact with the bar 40.

By reference to Fig. 7 it will be seen that the fingers 53 are arranged in staggered re lation with respect to each other. This imparts to the fingers a spiral disposition about the peripheral surface of the roll 44 so that each finger is adapted to pick up and discharge a certain quantity of the pulp inclependently of the other fingers, as will presently appear. The length of the fingers 53, however, is such that their free ends will dip beneath the surface of the pulp and thus. raise a quantum of the pulp as they emerge. from the mass.

Disposed above the feed roll 44 and its fingers is a covering plate 58 hingedly connected, as at 59, to one of the parallel bars 29, said covering plate 58conforn1in r in a portion of its width to the configuration of the feed roll.

At a point in advance of the feed roll 44 is a. receiving drum 60 on which the pulp discharged by the fingers 53 is deposited. This drum includes a shaft 61 which is journaled in suitable bearings 62 one of which is located between each pair of the vertical standards 11. Mountedon the shaft 61 is a plurality of spiders 63 and surrounding said spiders is a foraminous covering 64, which may be of any suitable material but preferably narrow gage wire gauze, or silk may be substituted therefor.

The'drum 60 is in the direct line of dis charge of the feed roll 44 and its fingers, and as each of the latter dips into the pulp and comes into contact with the upper edge of the bar 40, the finger will be flexed, but as it passes said bar 40 the finger will spring away from the same. with sufficient violence that thepulp carried thereby will be forcibly projected against the surface of the receiving drum 60 on which the pulp becomes deposited in a thin film by. the successive dis charge of the several fingers. V j

The feed of the pulp from the fingers 53 to the roll 60 is controlled by a vertically movable shutter 65. This shutter is interposed between the roll 60, the feed roll 44 and its spring fingers, and contact bar 40, and thus intercepts the pulp in its passage from the fingers to the roll 60. The shutter 65 is vertically adjustable, the inner ends of the supporting brackets 46 having down- 1 of the shutter 65.

wardly extending flanges 66 which are vertically slotted to provide guides for the ends Connected to the ends. of the latter are links 67, which links in turn are connected to crank arms 68 carried by rock shafts 69 mounted in suitable hearings on the vertical standards 11, and having their forward ends projected at the front of the machine. At such forward ends the rock shafts 69 are provided with operating handles 70 each of which carries a locking dog 71 having an engaging pin 72 which cooperates with a series of openings 73 formed inan adjusting segment'Tl. Bythe operation of the levers 70 and the proper adjust ment of the locking dogs thereof with respect to the segments 74C it will be evident that the position of the shutter 65 may be held at different points of its vertical adj ustment. Obviously, when the shutter is raised or lowered the amount of pulp passing from the fingers of the feed roll to the receiving roll 60 willbe either increased or diminished.

To utilize the film of pulp deposited on the roll 60 in the formation of a seamless tube or conduit, the present invention contemplates transferring the film from the roll to a mandrel arranged in superimposed relation with respect to said roll 60, and for the more expeditious operation of the machine it is proposed to provide means for mounting a series of mandrels in the relation noted so that as each tubeis built up on its respective mandrel an uncovered mandrel may be presented immediately to the roll 60 on the removal of the formed tube from its mandrel. To the accomplishment of the recited end, a shaft 75 extends between the standards 11, the ends of which are ournaled in vertically adjustable boxes 76, and on the shaft 7 5 is mounted a pair of mandrel supporting heads 77 and 78. These heads are spaced apart a distance sub stantially the length of the roll 60 and the head 78 is provided with a plurality of radially extending sockets 79 which are designed to receive the reduced ends of a plurality of mandrels 80. The head 7 8 is equipped with a retaining band 81, the width of which is less than the width of the face of the head 78, and said band surrounds sockets when the same are introduced therer in. Inasmuch, however, as the retaining band 81 is of less width than the face of the head 7 8 it will be seen that the sockets 7 9 are-closed only for a portion of their length, the purpose of this being to give freedom of movement for the mandrel whenithe same is canted or moved at an angle to the head,as when introducing the mandrels to and removing the same fromthe sockets 79 and when removing the finished tubes from the mandrels. By reference to Figs. 1, 12 and 18 it will also be noted that one wall of each of the sockets 7 9 has an inclined groove 82 drel on which it was formed.

The head 77 is likewise provided with a plurality of radial mandrel receiving sockets 83. Each of these sockets has a closure block 84 pivoted as. at 85 and held in position over the socket by a locking latch 86. lVhen the locking latch 86 is suitably swung upon its pivot in order to clear the adjacent free end of the block 84, the latter may bev swung in a direction transverse to the face of the head 77 so. that the end of the mandrel supported by the'socket maybe readily re moved therefrom. When operated in the manner described it will be seen that the ends of the mandrels supported by the sockets 83 are first removed and the mandrel, itself swung to the dotted line position of Fig. 1, after which the other end of the mandrel may be removed fromthe socket 79.0f the opposite head 78.

In presenting each mandrelto the drum 60 it is desirable that the mandrel carrier shall be stopped and held so that the man drel is immediately above the center line of said drum. To insure this a locking lever 87 is pivoted as at 88 to an upwardly extending support 88 carried by the adjacent journal box 76, said lever being also provided .with an engaging tooth 89 which enters a depression 90 formed in the face of the head 77- adj acent to each of the closure blocks 84 thereof. When the tooth 89 is 'so engaged, further rotation of the mandrel carrier is prevented. The mandrel carrier is rotated by means of an operating handle 91 supported on the shaft 7 5 and provided with suitable ratchet mechanism 92 of any approved form for effecting engagement between said lever and said shaft.

As the mandrel 80 immediately in contact with the roll 60 is designed to take up the film of pulp solely by the adhesion of the mandrel with said film, it is, of course, desirable that certain pressure should be ex erted upon the. mandrel to effect this transfer. This is provided for by the use of a pressure roll 93.;mountedupon a pivoted lever 94 at each sideof the machine, which levers 94.- are carriedby depending arms 94:

mounted upon the journal boxes 76, and the ing diameters thereof.

projecting ends of the mandrels 80, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The upwardly extending arm 88 and its adjacent clownwardly extending arm 94: may be formed of l the foraminous surface 64 ofthe drum 60 a single piece of material.

The levers 94 are connected to vertically adjustable links 95, the lower ends of which are connected by a strut 96 having engagement with a weighted counterbalancing lever 97 pivotally connected as at 98 to the' of the drum '60, which box in turn is conmachine frame. The upper ends of the links 95 are yieldingly connected to adjusting rods 99 by means of interposed coiled springs 100, the adjusting rods 99 being anchored in head blocks 101 arranged at the upper ends of the standards 11.: The effect of the counterbalancing lever 97 is to draw the rolls 93 downwardly against the tension of the springs 100 and, as the mandrel carrier rotates, the projecting ends of the lowermost mandrel will pass beneath the rolls 93 and thereby become subject to the weight of the lever 97. Obviouslythis pressesthe lowermost mandrelv against the drum 60 and holds the same in such position. 7

' In the manufacture of tubes provision must be made for the formation of Ivary- To establish the proper pressure of the mandrel against the drum 60under such varying diameters of tubes, it is requisite that provision shall be made to give to eachmandrel its proper contact with the roll 60. Therefore, the bearing blocks 76 are vertically; adjustable between the standards 11 so that the shaft may be raised and lowered. To effect this each block 7 6 is provided with a vertieally extending shaft 102, the upper end of which has a screw threaded connection. with'a worm wheel 103 which meshes with a worm 104, these worms being mounted on a shaft 105 which extends betweenthe standards 11. Upon the rotation of the shaft 105 the shafts 102 will be raised and lowered in-an obvious manner, thereby causing the mandrel carrier to rise and fall with :respect to the drum. 60 andv position the mandrels in relation'to said drum in accordance with the varying diameters of tubes to be formed. t

The construction just described also attains a very decided advantage in the adjustment of the parts inasmuch as by mounting the levers'87 and 94: on the arms 88 and 94: respectively, which arms 88' and 94: are carried by thejournal boxes 76, the mandrel carrier,.the rolls 93, and the levers 87 and 94 all move as a unit with the vertical adjustment .of the journalboxes 76, and preserve afixed relation to each other regardless of the extent of movement of the boxes 76., There is, therefore, no necessity for readjustmentv of the relation of these parts when'the boxes '76 aremoved to different positions.

Inaddition to'the shaft 105 the upper ends of the standards 11 are rigidly. connected by means of a tie-rod 106.

'By theforcibleicontact of the pulp with a certain percentage of the moisture content Wlll pass to the lnterior of sald drum,

but in order to remove the remainder of .the moisture, or a ma or portlon thereof, a

suction box 107 communicates with one end nected by a duct 108 to a suitable form of exhausting device, suchas a fan. This sue tion serves not only to extract the major portion of the moisture which may remain in the film pulp on the surface of the roll.

but it removes the IIlOlStHIQfI'OIIl within the roll and also tends to cause the-film to adhere to said surface and thereby to vtravel with the roll-60 during the major portion of itsrotation;

In the use ofthe herein described machine the vat13 is supplied With-the requisite quantity of pulp and this supplymain- 'tained throughout the operation of the machine. With the gate 16 properly adjusted relatively to the mouth of the spout 15, the pulp passes into the agitating chamber 19 where it is subjected to the action of the agitating blades 36. The latter not only serve to keep the pulp "moving, but they also prevent the fiber from settling .and maintain the pulp at the requisite consistency toattain the -proper lay of the against rotation through the medium of.

the leverj 87 the mandrel rotates under its engagement with the roll 60 and picks up the film of pulp from the surface thereof. This relation of. the parts continues until the pulp hasbeen deposited on the mandrel to the required thickness, it being understood that the fibers of the pulpy'massbecomes so interrelated as to effect the greatest adhesion with each other. The pressure exerted on-the. ends of the mandrel also tends to compress the fibers and this results in' a homogeneous tube which is entirely free from seamsv When the required thickness of the walls of the tube has been reached, the mandrel carrier is rotated ninety degrees, thereby raising the finished tube to ,a .point where it may be-readily removed and at the same time presenting an uncovered mandrel for contact with the surface of the roll 60.' While thefnew tube is building up. the finished tube may be removed from thermandrel by rele'asingithe closure block 6,4 and Tpermittingkthe ad'- jacent end of the mandrel to be removed from the socket 83 in which it has been seated, whereupon the formed tube may be moved lengthwise of the mandrel and thus freed from the same. After removal of the formed] tube the end of i the mandrel is again inserted in the socket 83, the closure bloclr84= again locked in position and the mandrel carrier again rotated at the proper time to remove the second finished tube and present a further uncovered mandrel for contact withthe roll 60] p I In Fig, 14 is illustrated one'of the finished tubes designatedby the numeral 109.

The amount of; pulp fed by the roll 44 is regulated by the adjustment of the shutten 65. This may be raised or lowered by properlymanipulating the levers 70 and thus presenting'a greater or lesser space he neath the shutter for the passage of the pulp projected by the fingers 53. The deposit of the pulp on the roll 60 is thus conj trolled by the position of the shutter 65.

Any pulp discharged from the chamber '19 which may fail to adhere to the roll 60 may bejcollected at the lower portion of the machine by any suitable means and reserved for subsequent use. r

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed'as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with stock supplying means, of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated therewith, transfer means associated with said mandrel support for feeding the stock to the mandrel, and means for forcibly projecting the stock from thejstock supplying means to said transfer means.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated therewith, transfer means associated with said mandrel support for feeding the stock to the mandrel, and means interposed between said stock supplymg means and said transfer means for forcibly projecting the same to the mandrel support.

4:. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with stock supplying means,

of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated the rewith,fil1n forming mechanism arranged in juxtaposition to said mandrel support for feeding the stock to the mandrel, and means for forclbly projecting the stock from the stock supplying means to said film forming mechanism. r

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated therewith, transfer means associated 'with said mandrel support, means for-forcibly projecting the stock from the stock supply in means to said transfer means, and means for regulating the feed of said projecting means.

6. I11 a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated therewith,transfer means associated with said mandrel support, means for feeding relatively small quantities of the stock to said transfer means and thereby to deprive the stock of a percentage of its moisture,and means for removing the moisture from the transfer means.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a mandrel support, a mandrel associated therewith, means associated with the stock supplying means for forcibly projecting-the 'stock therefrom, a forammous receiving device arranged in the path of the discharge of said feeding means and adapted to sepa- .rate a percentage of the moisture from the stock incidental to the impact of the nae, against said rece ving "dev1ce, ;and means for removing the separated moisture fronr the receiving device.

8. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of

'means for forcibly feeding the stool: from 1 said supplying means, a forammous transfer ".devlce arranged in the path. of the discharge of said feeding means and adapted t receivethe stock projected by said feed ing means, said receiving device having provision ,for separating a percentage of the moisture from the stock incidental to the impact of the latter therewith, means for removing the moisture from saidreceiving device, amandrel support arranged in juxtapositionto said receiving device, and a 'mandrel associated with said support for receiving the stock from said receiving de- ,vlce,

' 9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means,

of a feed roll associated therewith, means cooperating with said feed roll to forcibly project the stock from said supplying means, and a receiving device in the path of discharge ofsaid feed roll. 7

.10.'In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means,

of a feed roll associated therewith and provided with a plurality of resilient feeding elements designed to feed the. stock in a plurality of .relatively small. quantities, means cooperating with said feeding elements for flexing the same whereby to forcibly project the stock, and means forreceiving the stock projected by said feeding'elements.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a feed roll associated therewith and pr vided with plurality of resilient feeding elements, a contact bar against which said elements are adapted to be moved to flex the same and forcibly project the stock, and means for receiving the stock so projected by the feeding elements.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of a feed roll provided with a plurality of radially extending resilient fingers adapted to project the stock in relatively small quantities, a contact bar over which said 7 fingers are adapted to move and be'fleXed,

and means for receiving the stock projected by said fingers when the latter are released from the contact bar.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock means, of a feed rollassociated therewith and provided with a plurality of resilient fingers arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other, said fingers being adapted to project the stock in relatively small quantities, a contact bar over which said fingers are adapted to move and for flexing said fingers whereby to forcibly project the stock when the fingers are released from said bar, and means for receiving the stock projected by said fingers.

1 In a machine of the class described, the combination with stool: supplying means, of a feed roll provided with a plurality ofradi'ally extending resilient fingers arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other, a contact bar over which said fingers are adapted to move and by which the fingers are flexed to cause the same to forcibly project the stock on their release from said bar, and means for receiving the stock projected by said fingers. V

15. In a machine of the classdescribed, the combination with stock means, of a feed roll provided with a plurality of resilient fingers, a contact bar over which said fingers are adapted to move and by which said fingers are flexed, whereby to adapt the same for forcibly projecting the stock on their release from the contact bar, means for adjusting said bar with respect to said fingers to regulate the amount of stock discharged by the fingers, and means for receiving the stock projected by said fingers.

16. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a vat adapted to receive the tube forming stock, of a chamber into which said vat discharges, a rotatable agitator within said chamber, a feeding desupplying supplying V vice arranged in juxtaposition to said chamber and adapted to forcibly project the stock from the'chamber in relatively small quantities, and means for receiving the stock so projectedf .T

17. In-a machine of the class described, the combination with a vat'adapted to receivethetube forming stock, of a chamber into which said vat discharges, a rotatable agitator within said chamber, a feeding device arranged in juxtaposition to said chamher and adapted to forcibly project the stock from the chamber in relatively small quantities, a receiving roll in the path of discharge of said feeding device for receiving the stock so projected, and a mandrel support arranged adjacent to said receiving roll and adapted to present a mandrel thereto for receiving the stock from said roll.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a vat for receiving the tube forming stock, a chamber into which said vat discharges, a feeding device ar ranged adjacent to said chamber, adjustable feed regulatingmeans associated with said chamber and in proximity to said feeding device, a'fleXible closure carried by said feed regulating means and cooperating with the contiguous wall of said chamber for preventing discharge of the tube forming stock thereat, and means for receiving the stock discharged by said feeding means.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of feeding means associated therewith transfer means for receiving the stock discharged by said feeding means, a mandrcl carrier arranged in proximity to said transfer means, and means for detachably holding a mandrel on said carrier.

20. In a machine-of the class described,

means, of feeding means associated therewith, transfer means adapted to receive the stock discharged by said feeding means, a mandrel carrier arranged in proximity to said transfer means and having provision for supporting a plurality of mandrels, and means for actuating said mandrel carrier to successively present the mandrels to said transfer means. Y

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stock supplying means, of feeding means associated there with, transfer means adapted to receive the stock discharged by said feeding means, a mandrel carrier arranged in proximity to said transfer means and having provision for supporting a plurality of mandrels, means for detachably holding the mandrels on said mandrel carrier, and means for locking the mandrel carrier against movement, whereby to retain a mandrel in engagement with said transfer means. 7

22. In a machine of the class described,

the combination With stock supplying means for holding the mandrels Within said 10 means, of means for feeding the stock, sockets. V transfer means adapted to receive the stock In Witness whereof I have hereunto discharged by said feeding means, a shaft signed my name in the presence of two subarranged in proximity to said transfer scribing Witnesses. means, a plurality of mandrel supporting ROBERT F. FREEMAN. heads carried by said shaft, said heads being Witnesses: provided-With a plurality of sockets for re- WM. NEVARRE CROMWELL, ceiving a plurality of mandrels, and locking v 1 MARY C. BROWER. 

